10 BIG Mistakes to Avoid Before Traveling to Las Vegas!

As a Vegas local, I have been seeing people make these huge mistakes my entire life! My goal is to make sure you do Vegas the right way and see more than just the small bit of tourist attractions, pack the right stuff, and come prepared so you can have the best weekend yet! 🙂

While there are plenty more mistakes that people may make, these are the most common 10 that I see constantly. And while you’re planning your trip to Vegas, be sure to check out these must-read Las Vegas guides (yes, they all open up in separate tabs):

There’s a chance all my free guides contain affiliate links. This means I might make a small commission, at no extra cost to you, that goes directly to little Rosie’s dog treats!

1. Only Visiting the Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas is definitely known most for our epic party scene, but if you are staying more than a short weekend, I would HIGHLY recommend renting a car to explore the outskirts of the valley!

We are surrounded by state parks, national parks, and famous landmarks. In fact, most people fly into Vegas to start their southwest road trip seeing sights like Death Valley National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend / Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Arches National Park, Monument Valley, and more!

If you are looking to explore that beautiful desert landscape, you won’t get to see much by just staying on the Las Vegas Strip. The closest areas to the Vegas Strip are Red Rock Canyon (30 minutes away) and Valley of Fire State Park (45 minutes away), which can easily be done in a day trip.

If you don’t want to commit to a long road trip, here is a list of fun day trips from Las Vegas!

Recommended Tours that will pick you up from your hotel in Las Vegas:

Valley Of Fire State Park near Las Vegas

2. Thinking you can handle the “Vegas Hangover”

Oh, you think you can beat the “Vegas Hangover?” Well my friend, you are in for a rude awakening! Starting your day with bottomless mimosa brunch, then hanging out in the desert sun at a pool / day club with fruity cocktail, and then trying to hit the nightclubs at night… it’s a LOT of drinking.

I always say that a weekend in Vegas is both a marathon AND a sprint! Be prepared to drink heavily and be able to rally for the rest of the weekend, ha!

If I am going out for a friends birthday, wine tasting, or drinking on the Strip, I ALWAYS bring Liquid IV’s for me and my friends. You just stick one of these packets in a water bottle and drink it before you go to bed and I will promise you will feel perfectly fine the next day!

There are a lot of brands that sell the same type of thing, but nothing is as effective as the Liquid IV’s – I have tried and testing these babies tons of times and they never let me down 🙂

Las Vegas Sign

3. Assuming you can walk the strip

While the strip is pedestrian-friendly, people don’t realize how long the strip is. Especially considering you will want to stop inside the hotels to explore, which the hotels are extremely large as well!

I would recommend picking out a small chunk of hotels that are close together, and spending your time exploring them. Otherwise, make sure you see hotels that are linked together by the free tram service! This way you can explore more hotels without walking too much.

Here are the three FREE trams:

Tram #1 Mandalay Bay – Luxor – Excalibur Tram
Tram #2 Park MGM – Aria – Bellagio Tram
Tram #3 Mirage – Treasure Island Tram

If you don’t want to limit yourself to only one section of the strip, I think spending a few hours of your trip doing a hop-on-hop-off bus tour would be best! That way you can knock out all of the strip, not have to walk miles, and learn a lot from a local guide! Here is a bus tour that is highly rated and includes both Downtown and The Strip!

Gondola Rides at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas

Venetian Hotel & Casino

4. Thinking you will get a lot of sleep

Considering the night clubs don’t even open until 11:30pm… don’t plan on getting tons of beauty sleep, ha! 🙂

Las Vegas is definitely a night owl town! Even if bars open at 9-10pm, they are probably not full of people until around 11pm-12am. Lucky for you though, there is not a whole lot to do in the mornings (other than hiking or sightseeing), so at least you can plan to sleep in!

NYNY Hotel & Casino

5. Getting a Hotel off the Strip

If you are only in Las Vegas for a short weekend, I would splurge and spend the extra money to stay either on The Strip or Downtown. Staying at a hotel off the strip (even if it’s just a block or two) will be extremely inconvenient. The traffic along Las Vegas Blvd is always horrible, making it take forever to get to your destination if you are driving.

If you are staying a few blocks off the strip, I would not recommend walking to your destination. The areas surrounding thes trip are not the best, especially for young female travelers.

Here are my favorite hotels on the strip based off budget:

$ Luxor, NYNY, or Excalibur

$$ MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, or PARK

$$$ Venetian, Bellagio, Wynn / Encore, or Aria

NYNY Hotel & Casino

Edited in ONE CLICK using my “Vegas” Preset pack!

6. Not checking the dress code before going out

Vegas has a fairly strict dress code for most bars, clubs and restaurants. If you are a women, you have it a little easier (I know that ‘s unfair to men, but I don’t make the rules!!)! As long as you look nice, you can pretty much get in anywhere.

For men, most places will send you away if you are wearing flip flops, tank tops, hats, and basketball shorts. I would always recommend checking the dress code to the places you plan to go to! When in doubt, overdress!

If you want more details on what to pack and what to wear to things like downtown bars, nightclubs, or restaurants, click here to read my Vegas Packing List!

Las Vegas Nightclub Attire

7. Under Packing

Okay this is TMI, but it needs to be said! If you are coming in the summer, it is likely that you will want to change a few times because you will be SWEATY! The Vegas heat is no joke people!

Temperatures scale well over 100 degrees in the summer months and even though there is no humidity, you are guaranteed to have a hot and sunny day. I would bring a change of clothes between day / night time and maybe some baby wipes to freshen up throughout the day.

Here are some scented wipes that you can stick in your purse!

Rainbow Staircase at the fashion Show mall in Las Vegas

Be sure to follow me on Instagram for Las Vegas Photography Inspo! 🙂

8. Spending all your money on the first night

Whatever you think you’re going to spend, double it 😉

Las Vegas is an expensive city to travel to, there are no ifs ands or buts about it! If you plan a trip to this luxurious city trying to nickel and dime everything, you won’t have a fun trip!

If you have to stick to a strict budget once you arrive, at least put a credit card away so you don’t get spend-crazy after a day full of drinking. Not talking from experience or anything…

Vanderpump Cocktail Garden - GIRLS GUIDE TO LAS VEGAS

Cocktails at the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden

9. Only Eating at the Las Vegas buffets

For some reason buffets are really popular in Las Vegas?! GUYS, there are some of the best restaurants in the world located on the Las Vegas Strip and people choose to spend their entire time at buffets??

I think you should go to one buffet during your time in Las Vegas and make sure you explore a variety of food while you visit! My all time favorite buffet in Las Vegas is the Bacchanal Buffet at Casear’s Palace. It is on the pricier side as far as buffet’s go, but BOY do you get your moneys worth! Expect to fill your plate with prime rib, king crab legs, t-bone lamb, made-to-order sushi rolls, Asian soups, homemade deserts, and SO much more.

If you are looking for a list of best restaurants in Las Vegas, check out this Vegas foodie blog!

Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas

Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Paris Hotel & Casino

10. Not spending a night bar hopping Downtown (Yes, that’s different than The Strip!)

And finally, the most important one on this list.. Explore more than just the Las Vegas Strip! I know I mentioned this about sightseeing national and state parks, but if you just want to party during your trip, make sure you dedicate a night out in Downtown Las Vegas.

Bar Hopping in Downtown near Fremont Street is just as fun (or even more fun) than the Strip. Plus, you will end up saving a ton of money since the drinks are about half the price. WIN WIN 🙂

For any of my friends birthdays or just wanting to spend a night out on the town, we always head downtown! AKA, I go down there often. If you want a list of all of the best bars in downtown (within walking distance of each other), you can check that out here!

Goldspike Bar in Downtown Las Vegas

Okay, that’s a wrap! Now you know what the most common mistakes people make in Las Vegas & how to avoid them!!

My goal of My Perfect Itinerary is to make you as prepared as possible before traveling to a destination! No one wants to have a “sh*t out of luck” moment when they are spending all of this money and time to enjoy a vacation, am I right?!

BEFORE YOU GO, be sure to be extra prepared and check out these Las Vegas guides:

Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂

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10 Mistakes to Avoid in Las Vegas

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